V and W

Intermediate · Consonant Sounds

V and W are a common mix-up because both involve the lips, but they use them very differently. /v/ uses your TEETH: your top teeth touch your bottom lip and buzz. /w/ uses ROUNDED LIPS with no teeth at all — like the start of a small "oo".

Swapping them turns "vest" into "west" or "wine" into "vine", so this pair is worth drilling.

How to make them

/v/ = top TEETH on bottom lip + buzz (very). /w/ = round both lips, no teeth (wet).

Rules & examples

  1. /v/ — top teeth gently touch the bottom lip, and it buzzes.

    It is the voiced partner of /f/ — same position, add the buzz.

    • very, van, love, live, seven
  2. /w/ — round your lips into a small circle; teeth do not touch the lip.

    Begins like the "oo" in "food", then opens.

    • wet, water, we, one, question
  3. Feel the difference with your hand at your mouth.

    /v/ has teeth-on-lip contact; /w/ is pure rounded lips.

    • van (teeth) vs one (round lips)

Minimal pairs

  • vest / west — /v/ (teeth) vs /w/ (lips)
  • vine / wine — teeth-on-lip vs rounded lips
  • V / we — letter V vs "we"
  • verse / worse — /v/ vs /w/

Tips to remember

  • For /v/, bite your bottom lip very lightly with your top teeth and buzz — then say the word.
  • For /w/, pretend to start saying "oo", then glide into the vowel; keep teeth away from the lip.

Common mistakes

  • ✗ "I like your vest" (meaning the direction west). → ✓ west = /w/ rounded lips; vest = /v/ teeth on lip — The v/w swap changes the word entirely.